NYU 1L Taking Questions Forum

[softey]

has anyone taken a class with amy adler? she teaches art law.

[rx3r]

has anyone taken a class with amy adler? she teaches art law.

Oooo, I was interested in sitting in on that class as well. Does anyone know anything about it?

Any 1L classes you'd recommend visiting on a Wednesday/Thursday?

[PLATONiC]

From what I know, NYU has a very nice tax program... and offers a 3.5-year JD/LLM in taxation. How do J.D/LLM graduates cope with the fact that they graduate during the fall instead of the spring?

1. How do JD/LLM in tax interview? During their first semester as a 3L? Or during their last semester when they're trying to complete the remaining requirements for their LLM?

2. How does the extra semester affect their employment prospects? (I'm just worried that since JD/LLM students graduate during the fall semester, employers might be reluctant to recruit them. Forgive me for my ignorance if I'm completely off on this).

Thank you so much for answering questions:D:D

[dbt]

has anyone taken a class with amy adler? she teaches art law.

Oooo, I was interested in sitting in on that class as well. Does anyone know anything about it?

Any 1L classes you'd recommend visiting on a Wednesday/Thursday?

Issacharoff's Civil Procedure is pretty awesome, and it's on Thursdays.

[HerseyChris]

From what I know, NYU has a very nice tax program... and offers a 3.5-year JD/LLM in taxation. How do J.D/LLM graduates cope with the fact that they graduate during the fall instead of the spring?

1. How do JD/LLM in tax interview? During their first semester as a 3L? Or during their last semester when they're trying to complete the remaining requirements for their LLM?

2. How does the extra semester affect their employment prospects? (I'm just worried that since JD/LLM students graduate during the fall semester, employers might be reluctant to recruit them. Forgive me for my ignorance if I'm completely off on this).

Thank you so much for answering questions:D:D

I'm also interested in this program, so thanks for asking about it.
I'm not sure about employers being worried about new employees not being able to start until January. I heard that several companies (Law, Tax, Accounting) were asking new hires to hold off on working until January anyways. Not sure if that's true though. Also not sure if that will be the case in 4 years.

[starrydreamz3]

Whats the attitude towards clerkships/academia? Do many students express a strong interest towards one of these two routes? Or is it just too soon to tell during the first year?

[edcrane]

From what I know, NYU has a very nice tax program... and offers a 3.5-year JD/LLM in taxation. How do J.D/LLM graduates cope with the fact that they graduate during the fall instead of the spring?

1. How do JD/LLM in tax interview? During their first semester as a 3L? Or during their last semester when they're trying to complete the remaining requirements for their LLM?

2. How does the extra semester affect their employment prospects? (I'm just worried that since JD/LLM students graduate during the fall semester, employers might be reluctant to recruit them. Forgive me for my ignorance if I'm completely off on this).

Thank you so much for answering questions:D:D

I'm a 2L interested in tax and have asked a decent number of employers about the JD/LLM program at NYU. I haven't looked into your first question, but I can share what I have learned from my conversations. In new york, the LLM credential appears to confer no advantage to otherwise qualified students. If you're able to get a position at a big firm or boutique with your 1L grades, there's no reason to pursue the joint degree. The consensus is that that six months of on the job training in a tax dept. is more valuable than six more months of school. Moreover, there also seems to be some agreement on the notion that if you are going to go ahead and take the additional classes, you're better off doing so after you have some firm experience--it helps you contextualize what you're learning. Of course, if for some reason you end up getting deferred, it might make sense to try to get the firm to pay for the fall semester of classes so that you can finish your LLM when you have lots of free time.

If you're not able to get a job at a big firm or boutique, the LLM may grant you a second bite at the apple, but it will be a different apple. Most of the tax LLMs who enter the program without a job but end up at a firm (prior to this economy, I'm told about 1/2 the tax LLM class landed jobs at big firms) tend to get hired to do controversy (tax litigation and the like) rather than planning (transactional work).

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

[spondee]

Whats the attitude towards clerkships/academia? Do many students express a strong interest towards one of these two routes? Or is it just too soon to tell during the first year?

I find people speak about it as a possibility - one more tempting thing to consider - but no one's making definite plans yet: grades first. I've found my classmates (thus far) to be relatively humble and realistic about the competition. So someone might say in response to academia, "I've thought about it..." but not much more.

The faculty and administration, though, are pressing hard for clerkships and encouraging us to go that direction. I think, too, NYU recognizes that they've historically lagged behind many peer schools in these two arenas, so they've been stepping up: the dedicated clerkship group in the career office and the Furman scholars/fellows program are both relatively new. I found this exciting: there's an eagerness in the administration to support (qualified) students in securing clerkships and academic positions; as if, as the underdog, they're willing to work harder than their peer schools.

[BaiAilian2013]

Given the impossibility of studying during rush hour, how far away is just too far? At what point does a commute become a significant problem? Does anyone live on Roosevelt Island or in Queens?

[ihatelaw]

Given the impossibility of studying during rush hour, how far away is just too far? At what point does a commute become a significant problem? Does anyone live on Roosevelt Island or in Queens?

i commute to another borough, i know of multiple people in queens. id say 30-40 minutes is the upper limit of what you want a commute to be.

my commute is roughly 20 - 30 minutes and i rarely take the train during rush hour. a lot of people waste an hour a day on facebook, i happen to waste it commuting. its worth it to save some money.

[Drew2010]

I've applied ED as a military veteran and am just curious about whether that will increase my chance of getting accepted. So two questions:

1.) Have you met any fellow students who are veterans?
2.) If so have they mentioned whether it helped them much with admissions?

Any input would be appreciated, as I'm driving myself crazy waiting to hear back.

[Renzo]

The faculty and administration, though, are pressing hard for clerkships and encouraging us to go that direction. I think, too, NYU recognizes that they've historically lagged behind many peer schools in these two arenas, so they've been stepping up: the dedicated clerkship group in the career office and the Furman scholars/fellows program are both relatively new. I found this exciting: there's an eagerness in the administration to support (qualified) students in securing clerkships and academic positions; as if, as the underdog, they're willing to work harder than their peer schools.

I would second this. The school seems to be making a really big push to bring their clerkship numbers in line with their peer schools, so it seems like if you're interested in a clerkship you'd get a lot of support.

[Renzo]

I've applied ED as a military veteran and am just curious about whether that will increase my chance of getting accepted. So two questions:

1.) Have you met any fellow students who are veterans?
2.) If so have they mentioned whether it helped them much with admissions?

Any input would be appreciated, as I'm driving myself crazy waiting to hear back.

Sorry, I've yet to meet any vets, but good luck!

[melaniec]

I don't know if you'd be able to answer this, but do NYU undergrads generally do well getting into NYU Law (assuming proper qualifications etc.)? Have you met a lot of NYU Law students who were undergrad at NYU as well?

[Renzo]

I don't know if you'd be able to answer this, but do NYU undergrads generally do well getting into NYU Law (assuming proper qualifications etc.)? Have you met a lot of NYU Law students who were undergrad at NYU as well?

You're right, I can't answer (I'll be an admissions office call could, however). I have met two NYU alums, one a 1L and one a 2L. Since there are around a gazillion NYU undergrads, my guess is that NYU doesn't have a preference for their own graduates.

[rosielaw]

Have you heard anything about how NYU compares to Columbia, talked to Columbia students, etc? What is the drive to chose one school over the other? I am very interested in public interest, but just feel lost about what the differences are between the two schools.

[jms1987]

How well balanced is the school ideologically?

[Renzo]

Have you heard anything about how NYU compares to Columbia, talked to Columbia students, etc? What is the drive to chose one school over the other? I am very interested in public interest, but just feel lost about what the differences are between the two schools.

In many regards the schools could be satellite campuses of each other, and you can't go wrong either place. If you were 100% dead-set on corporate work, Columbia has the edge. If you are likewise set on PI work, NYU has the edge. If, like most people, you don't know exactly what you want to do, then the decision can be tough. Columbia has a real campus adjacent to the law school, but it's in a lame neighborhood. NYU has no campus, but is in a great neighborhood. Columbia's buildings are uglier on the outside, but about the same inside.

I think there are two ways to decide. 1) Ask about/investigate the clinical opportunities at each school and see if there are any you are really interested in. Each of the schools has some world-class expert professors, so if there is an issue you are really interested in, it might help you decide. 2) Visit. See the facilities, the neighborhoods, the libraries and other study spots. Think about where you'd likely be living, and walk around there. You'll be spending a lot of time in one or two buildings, so you should make sure you like where you'll be.

[Renzo]

How well balanced is the school ideologically?

It is unapologetically Left, but I doubt it's much different than any peer school in the Northeast. There are a few unabashed free-marketeers on the faculty, and there's a federalist society, but if you think "don't ask, don't tell" is a good idea then you'd better come prepared to be challenged.

That's not to say I haven't met vocal Christian conservatives and social-conservative Republicans. There are a few in my class, and as far as I can tell they aren't treated like lepers (I genuinely like and respect them), but I never see them at the LGBT or reproductive rights seminars.

[spondee]

I think there are two ways to decide. 1) Ask about/investigate the clinical opportunities at each school and see if there are any you are really interested in. Each of the schools has some world-class expert professors, so if there is an issue you are really interested in, it might help you decide. 2) Visit. See the facilities, the neighborhoods, the libraries and other study spots. Think about where you'd likely be living, and walk around there. You'll be spending a lot of time in one or two buildings, so you should make sure you like where you'll be.

Completely agree with this. Barring a very specific interest where one school may have stronger scholars or clinics, the best way to decide is to visit. Forget about the reputations of the two schools and see how you feel.

How well balanced is the school ideologically?

The overall tone is liberal. However, there is an active Federalist chapter, Epstein teaches a first-semester course and gives general public talks now and again, and while liberal, the tone doesn't seem to be anti-conservative, if that makes sense. I don't find it oppressively liberal but it is what you'd expect of a private institution in the center of New York.

[jms1987]

Thats good to hear. I need a school thats fairly well balanced. On a scale of 1-10. how do you rate living in a city as big as NYC? Thats one thing that drives me away from schools there, I'm totally unsure if i would enjoy life there or not

[badfish]

Thats good to hear. I need a school thats fairly well balanced. On a scale of 1-10. how do you rate living in a city as big as NYC? Thats one thing that drives me away from schools there, I'm totally unsure if i would enjoy life there or not

10. Everyone should live in New York City at some point in their life. There really is nothing quite like it.

[Renzo]

Thats good to hear. I need a school thats fairly well balanced. On a scale of 1-10. how do you rate living in a city as big as NYC? Thats one thing that drives me away from schools there, I'm totally unsure if i would enjoy life there or not

10. Everyone should live in New York City at some point in their life. There really is nothing quite like it.

I agree. It's a 9.5, and if you just plan on coming to school here then leaving it's an 11. But, what are your concerns about the quality of life? Maybe we can speak directly to some of them.

Just curious, badfish are you from NYC? I only ask because I was talking to natives today about how they were honestly shocked when the traveled because they met people who didn't really care about New York.

[badfish]

Thats good to hear. I need a school thats fairly well balanced. On a scale of 1-10. how do you rate living in a city as big as NYC? Thats one thing that drives me away from schools there, I'm totally unsure if i would enjoy life there or not

10. Everyone should live in New York City at some point in their life. There really is nothing quite like it.

I agree. It's a 9.5, and if you just plan on coming to school here then leaving it's an 11. But, what are your concerns about the quality of life? Maybe we can speak directly to some of them.

Just curious, badfish are you from NYC? I only ask because I was talking to natives today about how they were honestly shocked when the traveled because they met people who didn't really care about New York.

Although I grew up in the tri state area, I've actually never spent a significant amount of time in NYC until this year. At first I was turned off by the prospect of living in NYC, (but that was because I had a pretty perverse image of it). After living here for a little while I really can't imagine myself anywhere else ... for the time being.

[Renzo]

Although I grew up in the tri state area, I've actually never spent a significant amount of time in NYC until this year. At first I was turned off by the prospect of living in NYC, (but that was because I had a pretty perverse image of it). After living here for a little while I really can't imagine myself anywhere else ... for the time being.

I love it here too, and I could see myself staying forever. But sometimes the native talk about this city like it's a cult.